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Find information onDiagnosing PI Signs of primary immunodeficiency
Primary immunodeficiency causes children and adults to have infections that come back frequently or are unusually hard to cure. Here are some signs to watch for.
10 Warning Signs of PI for Children
If your child has two or more of the following warning signs, talk to a physician about the possible presence of an underlying primary immune deficiency.1
Four or more new ear infections within one year
Two or more serious sinus infections within one year
Two or more months on antibiotics with little effect
Two or more pneumonias within one year
Failure of an infant to gain weight or grow normally
Recurrent, deep skin or organ abscesses
Persistent thrush in mouth or fungal infection on skin
Need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections
Two or more deep-seated infections including septicemia
A family history of primary immunodeficiency
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10 Warning Signs of PI for Children - Poster and Pocket Guide
A poster and pocket guide to help you share the warning signs of PI for children with your physician, nurse, or friends.
10 Warning Signs of PI for Adults
If you or someone you know has two or more of the following warning signs, talk to a physician about the possible presence of an underlying primary immune deficiency.1
Two or more new ear infections within 1 year
Two or more new sinus infections within 1 year, in the
absence of allergyOne pneumonia per year for more than 1 year
Chronic diarrhea with weight loss
Recurrent viral infections (colds, herpes, warts, condyloma)
Recurrent need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections
Recurrent, deep abscesses of the skin or internal organs
Persistent thrush or fungal infection on skin or elsewhere
Infection with normally harmless tuberculosis-like bacteria
A family history of PI
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10 Warning Signs of PI for Adults - Poster and Pocket Guide
A poster and pocket guide to help you share the warning signs of PI with your physician, nurse, or friends.
Diagnosing PI
To diagnose primary immune deficiency disease, doctors generally do a physical exam, ask about family history, and order blood tests to check red and white blood cells, antibodies, and the complement system, and skin tests that show if T cells are working. These tests help doctors determine the type of PI and recommend a treatment protocol. Always seek the advice of your own physician regarding any medical conditions.
Learn about the 4 Stages of PI Testing from the Jeffrey Modell Foundation
- Jeffrey Modell Foundation Advisory Board. 10 Warning Signs of Primary Immunodeficiency. Jeffrey Modell Foundation website. 2008. Available at http://www.info4pi.org/aboutPI/index.cfm?section=aboutPI&content=warningsigns. Accessed January 18, 2010.
